Breech mechanism for an artillery device of the muzzle-loading type



1963 J R JAssE 3,074,322 I BREECH MECHANISM F'0R AN ARTILLERY DEVICE OF THE MUZZLE-LOADING TYPE Filed May 2, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ml IIHHIHI Jan. 22, 1963 Filed May 2, 1961 J. R. J BREECH MECHANISM FOR AN OF THE MUZZLE-LOADING TYPE ASSE ARTILLERY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WWW 3,fi7d,322 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 Fire 3,074,322 BREECH MECHANlSM FOR AN ARTILLERY D VICE F Tim MUZZLE-LOADHNG Til PE Joseph Raymond .lasse, Paris, France, assignor to Hotelskiss-Brandt, Paris, France, a French body corporate Filed May 2, 1961, Ser. No. 120,813 Claims priority, application France May ill, 196i) 6 Claims. (til. 89-27) The present invention relates to breeches of the type provided with a percussion mechanism, intended for mortars and other artillery devices of the muzzle-loading type, and adapted to permit either an automatic percussion or a controlled percussion, the striker or percussion pin being held for automatic percussion in a protruding position with respect to the breech face in such manner as to strike automatically the primer of the cartridge placed at the rear of the projectile, when the latter has completed its downward travel inside the gun barrel or tube, whereas in the position of controlled percussion, the striker pin is in a withdrawn position relative to the breech face, percussion being then obtained by moving a percussion lever.

in this known type of breech, there is usually provided a manually rotated knob whereby it is possible to obtain, by an action on locking means in the percussion device contained in the breech, two settings: a safety position, and a firing position.

The object of the invention is to provide a breech of this type, which is of simple and sturdy construction, proof against all hazards and errors of operation and permits of an effective protection of its percussion mechanism against foreign bodies (sand, mud and the like).

In this improved breech there is provided an internally screw-threaded ring which is rotatably mounted on the breech block and with which are engaged the threaded ends of a transverse rod which protrude from the said breech block, said rod being housed in a chamber of the breech block and extending through a longitudinal striker guide, and the striker extending through said rod, whereby when said ring is rotated, said rod is moved in a direction parallel with the axis common to the striker guide and the striker and consequently said striker guide and striker are moved longitudinally from a position of automatic percussion to a position of controlled percussion, and inversely.

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 11 of FIG. 2, of a breech for a mortar or like artillery device of the muzzle-loading type, improved in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding plan view;

FIG. 3 is a rear-end view;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale than that of FIG. 1, of the controlled percussion housing and of the knob controlling the locking means associated therewith determining safety and firing positions;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 1s a partial sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, and,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the push-rod of the percussion mechanism.

According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the reference character T represents the extremity of the barrel or tube of a mortar or like device of the type loaded though the muzzle end with projectiles and provided at the rear with a cartridge which contains the firing or launching charge. Screwed on this tube is the breech block ll having a front portion 2 which is adapted to be mounted on the barrel T and rearwardly extended by a breech block neck 3 which has a generally cylindrical shape and terminates in a breech block head 4 designed to be engaged and supported, through the medium of a spherical dome-shaped end face 5, in the recess of a base plate of conventional type (not shown in the drawings).

The breech block 1 is provided on its longitudinl axis XX with a cylindrical stepped bore comprising a screw threaded portion a, smooth cylindrical portions 7, 8 and and a screw threaded portion 9 The portion 7 is intersected at right angles by a diametral hole or chamber 10 having an oblong cross-sectional shape (see FIG. 2), said hole or chamber communicating with the cylindrical outer face 11 of the neck 3.

Parallel with and to the rear of the hole 10, the neck 3 comprises a radial aperture 12 which communicates both laterally and upwardly with the outer face of the neck 3 and is closed by a lateral plate 13 which is movable against the neck 3 and by a top plate 14 fixed to said neck by screws 1d.

Combined with the breech block ll having the aboveindicated features in the percussion or firing mechanism. The latter comprises a striker P composed of a striker point portion 16, a cylindrical portion 17 forming with the portion 16 a shoulder -18, and a body 19 provided with a blind axial hole ill. Housed in said blind hole 2%) are a percussion spring 21 and a push-rod 22. The latter is provided with a longitudinal slot 23 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 7) and is connected to the striker P by a pin 24 extending through the push-rod 22, the latter being provided for this purpose with a diametral hole 25' (shown in FIG, 7). The two ends of the pin 24 are capable of sliding in two longitudinal slots 26 formed in the body 19 of the striker P.

It will be understood that, owing to the effect of the spring 21, when the push-rod 22 is free the latter is urged rearwardly until the pin 24 comes into contact with the rear ends of the slots 26, following which, under the effect of the thrust thus applied, the unit formed by the striker P, the spring 21 and the push-rod 22 is thus brought to bear against the front end of a plug 27 which is screwed into the threaded portion 9 of the longitudinal bore in the breech block 1.

The striker P is held in position on the axis XX by a tubular striker guide 28 having a stepped cylindrical outer face, the forward portion thereof sliding in the portion 7 of the axial bore of the breech block, while the rear portion is slidable in the portion 8 of said bore.

The portion 17 of the striker P extends out of the forward end of the guide 28 and the portion 16 is axially movable within a plug 29 screwed into the portion 6 of the axial bore of the breech block. The plug 29 is pro vided with a stepped axial hole 30, the two portions of which form a shoulder 31, the front portion of smaller diameter serving as a guide for the point portion 16 of the striker.

For the purpose of causing said striker to move from the position shown in FIG. 1 corresponding to a controlled percussion to the position of auto-percussion in which the striker point protrudes at lo from the front face 32 of the plug 29, there is provided a device comprising a ring 33 rotatably mounted on the cylindrical face 11 and co-axial with the axis XX of the breech block. This ring 33 is rigidly fixed by a screw 34 or the like to an outer control ring 35. These two rings are held firmly applied against a lateral surface 36 of the portion 2 of the breech block by a washer 37 which is in turn held in position by a split elastic ring 38 engaged in. a circum- 3, ferential groove 39 formed in the face 11 of the portion 3 of the breech block.

The unit formed by the two rings, which is consequently rotatable about the axis X-X, can be manually shifted through the medium of the outer ring 35, to two positions in which a projecting portion 40 provided on the outer ring and forming an index is brought in alignment with one or the other of two reference points A and C corresponding to automatic percussion and controlled percussion respectively. These two stop positions of the rings are precisely determined by means of a stud 41 which is slidably mounted in the outer ring 35 and is thrust for- Ward by a spring 42, said stud engages in one or the other of two cavities, such as the cavity 43, formed in the lateral face 36 of the portion 2 of the breech block.

The inner ring 33 is provided, in the inner portion thereof centered on the cylindrical face 11 of the breech body, with a helical thread 44 (FIG. 1). Engaged with this thread are two corresponding threads 45 and 45 formed in the two ends of a rod 46 constituting a cross-piece perpendicular to the axis XX. Said cross-piece is housed in the hole of the breech block and its two threaded ends protrude outwardly from the face 11 to the extent of the depth of the thread so as to engage with the internal thread 44 of the ring 33.

By virtue of this engagement, when the index 40 of the outer ring is in alignment with the reference point C in the position shown in FIG. 2, the cross-piece 46 occupies the rear position shown in FIG. 1, in which said crosspiece abuts the rear face of the hole 10, whereas when the index is brought in alignment with the reference point A, the cross-piece 46 is moved forwardly until the front end face 28 of the guide 28 comes into abutment with the rear face 29 of the plug 29.

In thus moving forwardly, the cross-piece moves with it the guide 28 and the striker P for the following reasons: the cross-piece 46 extends without play through the head of the guide 28 which is provided for this purpose with a transverse hole 47; said guide 28 which is thus moved by the cross-piece 46 in turn moves the striker P through the medium of a spring-loaded stud 49 of the controlled percussion device described hereinafter, said stud being slidably mounted in radial holes 49*, 49 (FIG. 4) formed in the guide 28 and the tubular body 19 of the striker P.

In addition, the stud 49 causes a housing 50 of the controlled percussion mechanism to participate in the longitudinal displacement of the guide 28 and the striker P, said stud 49 downwardly protruding from the housing 50.

The housing 50, on which is laterally mounted the closing plate 13 (FIGS. 2 and 5), is mounted to slide in a direction parallel with the axis XX by means of two lateral flanges 51 (FIGS. 5 and 6) engaged in two grooves 52 forming slideways provided in two lugs of the plate 14 mounted on the neck 3.

A skirt 53 forming an upward extension of the stud 4-9 (FIGS. 4 and 6) is slidably mounted in the housing 56 at right angles to the axis XX. The unit formed by said skirt and the stud 49 is urged downwardly by a spring 54*. The bottom position of the stud, in which the latter is engaged in the hole 49 of the guide 28 and the hole 49* of the striker P, is determined by a stop pin 54 (FIG. 6) which is carried by the housing 50 and encounters the top end of a recess 55 which is formed in the skirt and into which the said stop pin extends.

The skirt 53 is also provided, in a plane at right angles to that of the recess 55, with another recess 56, the top end of which is adapted to co-operate with a catch 57 of a member 58 which constitutes both an arming lever by virtue of a nose or lug 59, and a trigger by virtue of the catch 57. Said member 58, which for the sake of convenience will be termed hereinaftera trigger, is mounted by means of a pivot pin 60 in the housing 50 to rotate about an axis Y-Y at right angles to the axis X-X. A lever 61, or controlled-percussion lever, is fixed to the pin 60 outside the breech block;

The nose 59 of the trigger 58 has such length that it enters the elongated slot 23 of the push-rod 22 which the percussion spring 21 urges rearwardly. ins, swinging the lever 61 in the direction of arrow f (FIGS. 1 and 4) about the axis YY shifts the lever 22 forwardly and compresses the spring 21.

The trigger 58 is provided with a second stop-catch 62 formed between a flat face 63 (FIG. 4) and a curved face 64. A lock 65 adapted to move in the direction Z-Z (FIG. 5 at right angles to the axis YY and intersecting the axis X-X, co-operates with the stop-catch 62 and with the faces 63 and 64. The lock 65 is constituted by the end of a screw 66 on which is screwed a nut 67 which is capable of turning about but cannot be displaced along the axis 2-2. The nut 67 is centered in a hole 63 in the plate 14 and upwardly bears against a counterbore 69 formed in the bottom face of the plate 14. The nut 67 is rigidly fixed by a screw 70 to a safety knob 71. The latter is fitted with an index 72 (FIG. 2) which can be brought in alignment with one or the other of the two reference points S and F corresponding respectively to a safety position and an operative position. These two positions are determined by means of a fixed stop 73. The angle x through which the knob 71 and nut 67 rotate when the index 72 is moved from one reference point to the other is such that, in view of the helix angle of the threads of the nut and screw 66, said screw and the lock 65 are displaced upwards by a distance a (FIGS. 4 and 5) when the index 72 passes from the position S to the position F. The distance a is such that: the lock 65 can be upwardly withdrawn not only from the stop-catch 62 of the trigger '58 but also from said curved surface or cam profile 64, and furthermore from a transversely extending stop 74 carried by the housing 50.

Owing to its top portion which is provided with a hole 75, the knob 71 guides the screw 66 which is provided for this purpose with an extended portion 76; a clearance a slightly greater than the travel a of the screw 66 is provided between an annular flange 77 of the screw and the bottom face 78 of the knob portion forming a guide for the screw 66.

The breech assembly operates in the following manner:

In the position shown in the drawings, the breech is in the position of controlled percussion since the index 40 of the ring 47 is in alignment with the reference point C and, furthermore, in the safety position since the index 72 of the knob 71 is in alignment with the reference point S.

For this setting the cross-piece 46 is in its rear position and thus holds the striker P in the position of controlled percussion by means of the guide 28 and the stud 49, the striker point being withdrawn inside the hole 30 of the plug 29. Further, the trigger 58 is prevented from turning about the axis Y-Y in the direction of arrow f as a result of the contact between the catch 62 of said trigger and the lock 65 which is in its lower position over the plane face 63 of said trigger.

For this position of the safety knob 71, controlled percussion is impossible since the trigger is locked in position, and auto-percussion is also impossible owing to withdrawal of the portion 16 of the striker P within the plug 29.

To render controlled percussion possible it is essential to rotate the safety knob 71 about the axis Z--Z through an angle x in the direction of arrow f (FIG. 2) as to bring the index 72 in alignment with the reference point F. As a result of this rotation, the knob 71 rotates the nut 67 about the axis Z-Z and said nut causes the upward longitudinal displacement of the screw 66 through a distance a which is slightly less than s and is such that the lock 65 is withdrawn not only above the catch 62 but also outside the path of the curved profile 64 during rotation of the trigger 58 about the axis YY and above the plane W---W (FIG. 4) intersecting the top face of the stop 74.

After this withdrawal of the lock 65, it is possible to carry out a controlled percussion. When a projectile together with its cartridge has been first introduced into the tube T and said cartridge has been brought to bear against the front face 32 of the plug 29, to efiect a con trolled percussion operation, the lever 61 is swung in the direction of arrow F.

This lever actuates the trigger 58 through the medium of the pin 60 and results in, firstly, the arming of the percussion device by means of the nose 59 or" said trigger, said nose urging forward the push-rod 22 while the pin 24 of said push-rod moves forward inside the elongated slots 26 of the striker P which is held stationary by the stud 49; tension is thus applied to the spring 21. Subsequently, the catch 57 encounters the end of the recess 56 of the skirt 53 of the stud 4% and displaces the latter upwards such distance as to Withdraw from the hole 49 in the striker P; the striker P is thereupon released and, under the action of the stressed spring 21, the striker is thrown forward until its point passes to the position 16 and strikes the primer of the cartridge.

When the percussion lever is no longer acted upon, the spring 21 returns the nose 59 and the striker P to their initial positions until reengagement of the stud 49 occurs. This movement is possible due to the fact that the force of the spring has a leverage b on the nose 59 (FIG. 4) which is greater than the leverage c which the same force has on the striker.

The mechanism is then ready for a further controlled percussion.

If for any reason in the position of controlled percussion, the percussion lever 61 does not fully return to its initial position of rest, the curved profile 64 of the trigger 58 prevents the lock 65 from completing its downward movement and thus prevents the knob from being placed in the safety position.

When it is desired to change to automatic percussion, it is sufiicient to rotate the ring 35 in such manner that its index 40 passes from the reference point C to the reference point A. The cross-piece 46 is thus moved forward together with the guide 28 and, by means of this guide, the stud 49, the percussion housing t) and the striker P are in turn moved forward, the striker pin being thus brought to the automatic percussion position 16. In this position, as soon as a projectile provided with its cartridge is placed in the tube T, the projectile drops to- Ward the breech and, when the primer encounters the striker pin brought to the position 16*, automatic percussion occurs.

In the event of misfire of the cartridge in automatic percussion, the unit is so designed as to avoid any accident when withdrawing the striker following on such a misfire, in particular if the shot is fired accidentally and the gun tube recoils during this withdrawal. in fact, the projecting portion 40 of the ring 35 which effects the movement of withdrawal of the striker is so positioned that the foot or hand of the operator cannot be caught in the movement of recoil of the gun since the projecting portion is located outside the tube structure while the thrust controlling the movement of withdrawal of the striker is directed at right angles to the direction of any such recoil movement.

Moreover, change from controlled percussion to automatic percussion is possible only when the safety catch constituted by the lock 65 is in the withdrawn position, that is when the index '72 of the knob 71 is in alignment with the reference point P, since in this position the lock 65 is Withdrawn above the stop 73 mounted on the percussion housing 50 and thus permits the latter to move forward, whereas if on the other hand the knob 71 is in the safety position, the lock 65 in its lowered position prevents the housing 59 from moving forward enough to allow the striker pin to protrude in position 16*, since before this position can be reached, the stop 73 comes into contact with the lowered lock 65.

Thus when the knob 71 is in the safety position, any untimely or accidental loading does not cause any percussion which could be dangerous for the gun operators.

Moreover, when the breech is in the position of autopercussion (with the index 49 of the ring 53 in alignment with the reference point A), if the controlled percussion lever 61 is actuated, the striker cannot in fact travel be yond the position corresponding to the abutment of the shoulder 18 of the portion 17 of said striker against the shoulder 31 formed inside the axial hole of the plug 2h, there is thus avoided any excessive protrusion of the striker point which could result in perforation of the primer of the cartridge. Further the stop 73 mounted on the percussion housing 50 prevents the knob 71 from being brought back to the safety position (index 72 in alignment with the reference point S) because the stop 73 lies in the path of the lock between the latter and the trigger 58.

It will also be observed that the interior of the breech is protected from any dust, grit and other external agents by virtue of the various parts forming joints, such as the plates 13 and M, the washer 37 and the plug 27.

The hole 10 in which the cross-piece 46 moves constitutes an expansion chamber which substantially reduces any danger of penetration inside the percussion mechanism of the gases which emanate from the combustion of the powder and pass through the clearances between the striker P and the plug 29.

To replace the striker P, it is sufiicient to unscrew the plug 27 and the two screws 15; slight pressure is applied on the push-rod 22 in order to disengage the trigger 58; the plate 14 is removed together with the percussion housing 50 and the striker P is slid rearwardly, for example by means of a screwdriver introduced in the aperture 12 for the percussion housing. The new striker is subsequently introduced and the re-assembly is elfected in the reverse order.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A breech mechanism for an artillery device of muzzle loading type, the breech mechanism being adapted for selectively permitting controlled and automatic percussion, the breech mechanism comprising a breech block having a longitudinal axis, and provided with an axial bore, said breech block being further provided with an aperture extending transversely of said axis and in communication with said bore, said aperture having a cross-section which is elongated in a direction parallel to the axis of the breech block, a striker guide slidably supported in the axial bore, said guide being provided with first and second cylindrical bores of different diameters each extending a part of the length of the guide and communicating with one another to cooperatively form a through going bore in said guide, a one piece body in said striker guide constituting a percussion member, said percussion member including a first portion constituting a striker adapted for penetrating the bores of said striker guide, and a second portion slidably supported in one of the cylindrical bores of said guide, an outer ring surrounding the breech block and rotatable therearound about said longitudinal axis, said ring including a threaded portion disposed adjacent said elongated aperture, a rod in said aperture and adapted for movement therein in a direction parallel to said axis, said rod including threaded ends in threaded engagement with the threaded portion of said ring, such that rotation of said ring causes longitudinal movement of said rod in said aperture, said rod being in tight fitting relation with said striker guide, whereby said guide moves in said bores in response to movement of said rod in said aperture, said rod being provided With an opening to permit passage therethr'ou'gh of said percussion member, and means defining limits of rotation of said ring, said rod being in a first position for one of said limit positions of said ring Whereat said striker is in retracted position in said bores corresponding to controlled percussion, the rod being in a second position for another of said limit positions of said ring Whereat said striker is in projecting position in said bores corresponding to automatic percussion.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 comprising cntrol means coupled to the striker guide and operably connected to the percussion member to selectively couple said striker guide and percussion member together to enable manual control of said percussion member for controlled percussion.

3. A mechanism'as claimed in claim 1, wherein the breech block is provided with a radial cavity opening into said axial bore, said control means comprising a housing in said cavity and slidably supported on said breech block for movement in an axial direction, a stud in said housing coupling said housing and said guide together for corn mon movement, said percussion member being provided with an opening, said stud being in said opening to couple said guide and percussion member together to provide a cocked position, and trigger means rotatably supported in said housing and operatively associated with said stud to displace the same from the opening in the percussion member to permit relative movement between said percussion member and said guide.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 3 comprising means for selectively locking said trigger means including a lock engageable with said trigger means to block movement of the same and means coupled to said lock and movable between first and second positions for moving the block into and out of engagement With the trigger means in correspondence with the position of the lock.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 4, wherein the means for moving the lock includes a knob, said knob being movable between safety and firing positions, said trigger means being blocked against movement with said knob in said safety position, said housing including a stop cooperating with said lock to prevent displacement of said percussion member to a position corresponding to automatic percussion with said knob in safety position, the latter said stop preventing movement of said knob to safety position with said guide in position corresponding to automatic percussion.

6. A breech mechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein said trigger means is normally at rest and is movable to an operative position Whereat said stud is displaced from the opening in the percussion member and said percussion member is moved axially in the guide into percussion position, said trigger means including a ramp positioned in the path of said lock to prevent movement of said lock into blocking position with the trigger means displaced from rest position.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 623,708 Great Britain May 20, 1949 

1. A BREECH MECHANISM FOR AN ARTILLERY DEVICE OF MUZZLE LOADING TYPE, THE BREECH MECHANISM BEING ADAPTED FOR SELECTIVELY PERMITTING CONTROLLED AND AUTOMATIC PERCUSSION, THE BREECH MECHANISM COMPRISING A BREECH BLOCK HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, AND PROVIDED WITH AN AXIAL BORE, SAID BREECH BLOCK BEING FURTHER PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID AXIS AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID BORE, SAID APERTURE HAVING A CROSS-SECTION WHICH IS ELONGATED IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE BREECH BLOCK, A STRIKER GUIDE SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN THE AXIAL BORE, SAID GUIDE BEING PROVIDED WITH FIRST AND SECOND CYLINDRICAL BORES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS EACH EXTENDING A PART OF THE LENGTH OF THE GUIDE AND COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER TO COOPERATIVELY FORM A THROUGH GOING BORE IN SAID GUIDE, A ONE PIECE BODY IN SAID STRIKER GUIDE CONSTITUTING A PERCUSSION MEMBER, SAID PERCUSSION MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION CONSTITUTING A STRIKER ADAPTED FOR PENETRATING THE BORES OF SAID STRIKER GUIDE, AND A SECOND PORTION SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN ONE OF THE CYLINDRICAL BORES OF SAID GUIDE, AN OUTER RING SURROUNDING THE BREECH BLOCK AND ROTATABLE THEREAROUND ABOUT SAID LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID RING INCLUDING A THREADED PORTION DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID ELONGATED APERTURE, A ROD IN SAID APERTURE AND ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT THEREIN IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS, SAID ROD INCLUDING THREADED ENDS IN THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE THREADED PORTION OF SAID RING, SUCH THAT ROTATION OF SAID RING CAUSES LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ROD IN SAID APERTURE, SAID ROD BEING IN TIGHT FITTING RELATION WITH SAID STRIKER GUIDE, WHEREBY SAID GUIDE MOVES IN SAID BORES IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID ROD IN SAID APERTURE, SAID ROD BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING TO PERMIT PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF SAID PERCUSSION MEMBER, AND MEAND DEFINING LIMITS OF ROTATION OF SAID RING, SAID ROD BEING IN A FIRST POSITION FOR ONE OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS OF SAID RING WHEREAT SAID STRIKER IS IN RETRACTED POSITION IN SAID BORES CORRESPONDING TO CONTROLLED PERCUSSION, THE ROD BEING IN A SECOND POSITION FOR ANOTHER OF SAID LIMIT POSITIONS OF SAID RING WHEREAT SAID STRIKER IS IN PROJECTING POSITION IN SAID BORES CORRESPONDING TO AUTOMATIC PERCUSSION. 